Anime Fans Devastated After Movie Gets Canceled After Years With No Update
Anime fans have grown resilient over the years, suffering a number of losses at the hands of poorly crafted live-action adaptations, years between seasons of their favorite shows, and several popular projects axed before their time. Another devastating blow has been handed to the anime community, as the long-awaited Yuri on Ice movie has officially been shelved. The film, which was supposed to be titled Yuri on Ice: The Movie: Ice Adolescence, has shut down after more than seven years of work behind the scenes, with no real explanation for why.
The Yuri On Ice Movie Was Announced 7 Years Ago
Yuri on Ice: The Movie: Ice Adolescence was first announced in 2017 before quickly meeting production snags that pushed the film out to 2019 and beyond. As the years passed, fans of the original Yuri on Ice series have feared that the project would stall out indefinitely and ultimately never materialize. Still, fans were saddened to have this news confirmed, as MAPPA has announced that production has ended due to “various circumstances.”
Yuri On Ice Became A Beloved Anime After 1 Season
The series, which premiered a single season back in 2016, centers on an incredibly talented Russian ice skater named Yuri P, mentored by a grizzled and jaded veteran skater named Yuri K. Yuri on Ice was written, directed, and developed for television by Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine‘s Sayo Yamamoto, with character designs by Tadashi Hiramatsu, who is best known for his work on Jujutsu Kaisen. The show earned a broad audience of fans, who were enamored with the excellent skating choreography, deep character dynamics, and impressively realistic sound design.
Sexual Orientation
Yuri on Ice has won numerous awards and broken down barriers for its depiction of a realistic same-sex relationship, as well as its examination of mental health issues such as anxiety disorders. Furthermore, the series is praised by critics for utilizing its setting to make real arguments about the treatment of the LGBTQ community in places such as Russia, which maintains a backward and regressive view of sexual liberation even today.
Will Yuri Get Another Chance?
The movie could have been what Yuri on Ice needed to become a global phenomenon revered by all, though it now seems like a foregone conclusion. Still, the opportunity may arise again for another studio to take on the task of a Yuri on Ice movie now that MAPPA has officially moved on to other projects. For now, the studio’s efforts have shifted to continuing the production of the third season of Jujutsu Kaisen and a Chainsaw Man film.
Stream The Series
Despite the failure of Yuri on Ice: The Movie: Ice Adolescence, anime fans still have a lot of quality material to look forward to. Plus, the original series can still be watched for free on Crunchyroll, so new fans can discover the excellent anime and possibly build hype to re-launch a new film project. While it’s disappointing to learn that the film is officially canceled, at least it’s better than continuing to wait forever for a project that will never premiere.
